MHP reports two fatalities during 2025 Christmas travel period

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) concluded its 2025 Christmas holiday enforcement period Friday at midnight, reporting two fatalities following a 72-hour wave of increased patrols and safety checkpoints.

The enforcement period, which began at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23, resulted in 4,130 total citations. While the number of fatalities decreased compared to the previous year, troopers saw a rise in DUI arrests and crashes on state roadways.

Fatal Incidents Under Investigation

MHP investigated two separate fatal crashes during the holiday window:

• Lauderdale County (Dec. 24): At approximately 12:05 p.m. Wednesday, a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer driven by David Holmes, 39, of Culleoka, Tennessee, was traveling south on Interstate 59 when it struck a pedestrian. The pedestrian, 50-year-old Daniel Garris of Richton, Mississippi, was walking south on the interstate. Garris was transported to Baptist Anderson Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
• Lincoln County (Dec. 26): At approximately 10:08 a.m. Friday, a 2007 Kenworth Tanker driven by Martin Dunn, 68, of Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, was traveling south on Highway 583. The vehicle left the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned. Dunn was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both incidents remain under investigation by state authorities.

Comparative Statistics: 2025 vs. 2024

The 2025 enforcement period showed a slight uptick in dangerous driving behaviors despite fewer fatalities than in 2024. MHP recorded 69 arrests for impaired driving, up from 54 during the same period last year.

Troopers noted that seat belt and child restraint violations also saw an increase, with 477 citations issued this year compared to 411 in 2024. Additionally, MHP officers provided assistance to 76 motorists, a significant increase from the 46 assists performed last year.